Another Tedious Stocking Topic

[ZoddyZod]

Right,

After asking plenty of questions on here and trawlling through many 'care sheets' on various sites, I think I've finally locked on what I want my final stocking to be, and it is.....

Zebra Danio 11 (already in)
Neon Tetra 6
Bristlenose Plec (f) 1
Bolivian Ram 2 (buying a pair)
Cherry Shrimp 5

I have a 125L tank, with 4x turnover per hour filtration, small (1-3mm) black gravel. (vid is in my sig). My pH is 7.8

will it be pretty much fully stocked (can I have more neons or shrimp)?
any issues that the tankmates might have with each other?
Is the tank decor ok for the inhabitants? (will be getting a coconut cave for the rams).

appreciate your experience/expertise/feedback!
cheers!

 

[Bebobb]

Sounds fine to me. I would watch out for the shrimp, the rams might view them as a snack, I know the rams WILL eat the babyshrimp. A pair of BOlivan rams should be fine. THey do prefer the pH a little lower, but will do just fine in the pH you have.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Sounds fine to me. I would watch out for the shrimp

Hmmm, may try to get hold of adult specimens then

 

[Curiosity101]

Watched you lurking in so many threads this morning...felt guilted into replying (I was feeling lazy when you first posted...and then still lazy when betta boy replied...and then half dead at 9 this morning Lol)

Anyhoo, Stocking looks fine to me.
And it's not 'fully stocked' technically.

Sorta depends on a few things, your nitrates out of the tap, whether you want live plants or not and how big a water change you are willing/want to do a week.
Nitrates aren't the only thing that determine stocking levels, and aren't the only reason we do water changes.
But if you want to push stocking further then you have to be able to keep nitrates at safe levels inbetween water changes, low tap water values and plants will do this for you.

But then with higher stocking levels, you will need to do larger water changes to replenish any used substances and to dilute anything else (besides waste) that the fish have created during the week.

As for the shrimp n the rams. I have my rams in with Amano shrimp, which are actually bigger than cherry shrimp when fully grown. But mine haven't given any of the amanos so much as a second look.
Just make sure they have plenty of hidey holes and perhaps buy the shrimp first and allow them to mature (If you can't get hold of adults straight from the shop).

 

[ZoddyZod]

Watched you lurking in so many threads this morning...

I'm not lurking......I'm just avoiding work


Sorta depends on a few things, your nitrates out of the tap, whether you want live plants or not and how big a water change you are willing/want to do a week.

Not fussed about doing weekly water changes, but not keen on going planted yet. One step at a time, and all that....

As for the shrimp n the rams. I have my rams in with Amano shrimp, which are actually bigger than cherry shrimp when fully grown. But mine haven't given any of the amanos so much as a second look.
Just make sure they have plenty of hidey holes and perhaps buy the shrimp first and allow them to mature (If you can't get hold of adults straight from the shop).

Interesting. Will try to find more sources of Shrimp vs Rams to see if it is generally OK or not.....

cheers for unlazifying yourself!

 

[Curiosity101]

Hehe, it's no problem. It just took a couple of coffees to get the motivation.

I would suggest sticking to your current plans for now then. Give it up to 6 months or so (to allow fish to grow to near enough adult size).
See what your water stats are like, see how your water changes are going.

Give live plants a go!

And then think about adding more fish?

 

[ZoddyZod]

I would suggest sticking to your current plans for now then. Give it up to 6 months or so (to allow fish to grow to near enough adult size).
See what your water stats are like, see how your water changes are going.

Give live plants a go!

And then think about adding more fish?

I'm going to add the stocking over a few months, probably in this order

Shrimp
Neons
Rams
BN (or clown, or queen arabasque.... stupidly wandered onto planetcatfish and now can't decide)

In time I'd like to move onto plants as some of the planted tanks I've seen on here look beautiful. Once I'm happily settled into the hobby I might give it a go (reading all the CO2 stuff though, maybe not!). As for now, I'll stick to my single java fern and moss ball oh, and my new covering of brown algae

 

[Curiosity101]

You should add 'Leopard Peckolita' to your list. I think it's L008 (but that's off the top of my head), just google leopard peckolita and you'll see what I mean. Hehe.

 

[ZoddyZod]

You should add 'Leopard Peckolita' to your list. I think it's L008 (but that's off the top of my head), just google leopard peckolita and you'll see what I mean. Hehe.

hmmm, tempting. Only 8cm as well

 

[fluvial]

You should add 'Leopard Peckolita' to your list. I think it's L008 (but that's off the top of my head), just google leopard peckolita and you'll see what I mean. Hehe.

hmmm, tempting. Only 8cm as well

Hi ZoddyZod

I'm from Surrey myself and started my first tank about 4 weeks ago.
Finished the cycling last week, I think, and so far got 6 Lemon tetras and 3 Long Finned Rosy barbs.
My tank is planted right from the first, and apart from replacing 2 that failed to grow, so far its blooming.
No CO2 etc, far too difficult for me.
I used tablets and Tetra Flora boost, with about 9 hrs of lighting a day.
This is on a 180 litre tank.

I plan to add 4 Platys and 2 Bolivian Rams over the next couple of months - then possibly a highly expensive Zebra plec or L134
if everything progressing OK.
I want to keep the tank nice and friendly.

Good fun isn't it !!

 

[ZoddyZod]

Hi ZoddyZod

I'm from Surrey myself and started my first tank about 4 weeks ago.
Finished the cycling last week, I think
Good fun isn't it !!

If you've cycled in 4 weeks I'm very jealous. 6 weeks in for me, and still no sign of nitrItes, and carrying out 33% water changes every other day!